Engelska

Volume VI of the series covers the unit emblems and tactical aircraft markings of the forty-eight USAAF combat groups and eight squadrons that served in the China-Burma-India Theater and Western Pacific Area of Operations during WWII. Additional units covered include the Chinese-American Composite Wing and special AAF Air Task Forces that also served in the CBI. The three main Army Air Forces contained within this work are represented by over 1,200 images, including 272 unit insignia, both approved and unofficial designs, including any known variants. Both group and squadron tactical aircraft markings are presented using 203 full color illustrations, including 143 wartime era photographs accompanied by historical and descriptive background text. A quick referral visual index for AAF fighter and bomb group/squadron tactical aircraft markings, group/squadron overseas station assignment maps, AAF/CBI order of battle charts, and the historical evolution of these US aircraft markings round out this fine reference work.

In 1944 the Maus giant battle tank, weighing almost 190 tons, was supposed to help turn the Wehrmacht's fortunes of war on the Eastern Front. Just two prototypes of this monster were delivered, for its undeniable advantages-tremendous firepower and virtually impenetrable armor-were outweighed by the disadvantages of its slowness, excessive use of materials in construction, and fuel consumption so high that it was, by that time, far beyond the Germans' ability to supply. With this volume, Michael Fröhlich continues the legendary Spielberger series and delves into one of the most curious military vehicles produced by Germany-the Maus super-heavy tank. For the first time, this book tells the complete story of this vehicle, including its inner workings, accompanied by many previously unpublished illustrations. But that is not all: the book includes another novelty, the complete operating instructions for the tank's crew!

Contains 124 extraordinary color profiles, portraying examples of nearly all types of single-seated fighter aircraft used by the Luftwaffe in World War II. All of the detailed profiles represent aircraft flown by German aces, some of the most famous and successful as well as those of lesser known. Also contains over 100 color illustrations of Luftwaffe unit markings, uniform insignia, camouflage colors, unit code styles, kill markings, and related features.

Created from elements of I./JG 77 and IV./JG 1 in January 1942, Jagdgeschwader 5 "Eismeer" is one of the lesser-known German fighter units of the Second World War. It nevertheless had an impressive operational history, as this book shows. The unit's successes were equally great. The Geschwader's ranks included a number of outstanding fighter pilots who marked JG 5 and accounted for a large percentage of its victories: names like Bartels, Brunner, Carganico, Döbrich, Dörr, Ehrler, Linz, Mors, Müller, Norz, Schuck and Weißenberger will always be associated with JG 5. Produced on the initiative of the Eismeerjäger Veterans Association, this account of operations by JG 5 is intended to further round out the history of the German fighter arm and provide the reader with a picture of the fighting in the far north.

Developed as the answer to the American B-1, the Tupolev Tu-160 was the Soviet Union's most potent strategic bomber. Several project versions were rejected, and a highly controversial contest involving some of the Soviet Union's top-class aircraft design companies took place before the Tu-160 variable-geometry bomber reached the hardware stage. Its design made use of many advanced features not used previously on Soviet bombers. While being a nuclear deterrent for most of its career, the Tu-160 has recently seen actual combat in the war on terrorism. The Tu-160 story is not over yet, since Russia is now resuming production of the type to bolster its strategic potential. The book gives the type's complete development, test and service history of the Tu-160, including such intriguing episodes as the type's overseas deployment to Venezuela, and the flight of a Tu-160 with Russian President Vladimir Putin aboard. It is richly illustrated with color photos and original factory drawings. A comparison is made of the Tu-160 and its American counterpart, the B-1.

This second volume focuses on the daily life of the German soldier when they weren't involved in combat operations. It was during these breaks in the action that the German soldier saw some return to a normal life and had time to forget about the horrors of war. Relying on wartime British, American, and German references, this book sheds light on a topic that has only received passing coverage in most publications. This book explores many of the intangibles like religion, leave, propaganda, etc., that motivated the German soldier to fight. Lavishly illustrated with over 900 photographs, this is a must for every serious collector and historian of the German military in WWII.

This remarkable story exposes the Sherman tank scandal of World War II, involving some of the biggest American names and stretching from the White House and Pentagon to factories and battlefronts. Outgunned by more powerful German opponents, the inferiority of American tanks led to some of the worst setbacks of the war, prolonging it in Europe. US tankers ultimately prevailed, but over 60,000 armored division soldiers were killed and wounded; their preventable sacrifice inspired the Hollywood movie Fury. Included are striking images of the Sherman's adversaries (photographed exclusively at the National Museum of Cavalry and Armor), along with original equipment, documents, period propaganda, and vintage photos of Sherman tanks in action. As a German officer noted, "I was on this hill with six 88mm antitank guns...Every time they sent a tank, we knocked it out. Finally we ran out of ammunition, and the Americans didn't run out of tanks."